Archery bow and method of fabrication



Dec- '1 1964 s. L. CHESSMAN ARCHERY BOW AND METHOD OF FABRICATION 2SheetsSheet 1 Filed Sept. 8. 1961 6%1 55727/04/5 dams/v4 INVENTOR.

BY E1. E flwf Dec. 15, 1964 s. CHESSMAN ARCHERY BOW AND METHOD OFFABRICATION Filed Sept. 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II'II.

El -ll IE/ZO W El LE INVENTOR.

fiyu asrifioa/sds aismm/ BY w /4rr0,e/v/J United States Patent Office3,161,189 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 3,161,189 ARCHERY 30W AND METHQD OFFAERICATIOIQ Sylvester Louis (Chessman, Eiisworth, Mich, assignor toMorweid Steel Products Corporation, Ellsworth, Mich, a corporation ofMichigan Fiied Sept. 8, E61, Ser. No. 136,871 2 Claims. (Cl. 124-24)This invention relates to a precision-type take-apart archery bow andmore particularly to a take-apart archery bow provided with limbs havingcast-in-place resin encapsulated butt ends that are flexibly mounted ona unitary recessed central handle limb retainer member and the methodfor fabricating a take-apart archery bow with an automatic zeroed-infeature.

While take-apart bows are well known in the prior art, none of thesebows have provided a take-apart bow wherein the precision and qualityusually found only in unitary archery bow instruments has beenpreserved. Generally, the take-apart devices of the prior art haveconsisted of solid central handle sections whose ends have beenco-axially drilled or bored to provide limbreceiving holes into whichthe limbs are inserted. These central handle sections have either beenof solid unitary construction or have consisted of mating sectionsbetween which the limbs are mounted. In still other devices of the priorknown art, extraneous detachable clamps have been provided on the handleportion so as to receive the limb members.

in such devices of the prior art, the limb members have been attachedand fitted to the socket portions of the handle member by use of wedgemembers, pins, set screws, external clamps, hinges and the like, thatact directly upon the limbs in order to connect them directly to thehandle member.

The effect of this type of multi-piece segmental construction has beento provide a bow which did not have the precision and high qualityperformance of one-piece bows. The use of these various wedge and pinmembers has generally resulted in loss of energy because there was nosmooth interaction between the parts, thereby providing a bow which wasrelatively inefficient. In ad dition, the use of these various elementsin fabricating a multi-piece bow has resulted in loss of accuracy in theoperation of the final product due to the absence of overall alignmentbetween the co-actin'g segments.

In the fabrication of the devices of the prior art, no thought has beengiven to the provision of a multi-piece archery bow havingprecision-type construction whereby a rigid handle element is providedhaving matched limbs, thus eliminating the need for the use of wedges orother shim means to complete the how. The central handle portions of thedevices of the prior art have either consisted of solid members providedoneach end with hole sockets to receive limb members or have consistedof elaborate and complex hinge structures to which limb members wereattached. Nowhere in the prior art has the concept been utilized of arigid U-frame or open channel central handle portion provided withlongitudinally disposed recesses at the ends thereof into which the buttends of matched limbs are positioned in a nest relationship to provide amulti-piece bow having the performance characteristics of a one-pieceintegrally formed archery bow unit.

In the instant invention, the use of matched limbs having'cast-in-placeresin encapsulated butt ends along with the rigid U-frame handle portionprovides an archery bow having a solid feeling. This is due tothe factthat the butt end of the finished limb bears on all surfaces of the limbreceiving recesses or sockets pro} vided in the handle member.

use of a flexible retainer cap plate or lock element to form a flexiblewall of the limb retaining socket or recess against which the butt endof the limb bears when the bow is drawn. The retainer cap plate or lookelement is drawn against the exposed side surface of the butt end of thelimb thereby retaining the butt end within the limb receiving recessportion of the rigid handle member. Inasmuch as the retainer cap platesare positioned on the inside or archers side of thehandle unit, theyflex with the limbs when the bow is drawn thereby providing greaterstability and a more controlled release of energy during the drawing andrelease of the bow. Y

'Nowhere in the prior art is there found a take-apart bow having asocket portion whereby the archers or inside wall of the socket flexesor gives when the bow is drawn. The flexing of the cap plates alsoenhances the storage and release of energy because the bending of thelimbs is thus distributed over a larger area as opposed to the bendingwhich occurs across the outer edge of a rigid socket which consistsmerely of a coaxially bored hole provided in a handle portion and whichdoes not employ the flexing concept found in the instant invention.

None of the devices of the prior known art utilize the concept of limbshaving cast-in-place resin encapsulated butt ends whereby the walls ofthe socket portion matingly bear against the sides of the butt ends withpercent area contact, thus providing for a more ef-. fective storage andrelease of energy and a more solid feel to the bow. In addition, as willbe described hereinafter, the use of this method provides limbs that areautomatically zeroed in for any particular handle.

A problem that has always existed in the archery bow field has been thatthe limbs of a bow, particularly a take-apart bow, did not always bendin a single plane (the plane established by the center line of thehandle portion) during the drawing and release of the bow..

This has generally resulted in sub-par performance and has brought aboutthe need for time-consuming and costly corrective maintenance. A needhas therefore existed for a bow and method for fabricating a bow thatwould automatically insure flexure of the limbs in the plane of thehandle center line thereby avoiding loss of energy and resulting ingreater accuracy.

The use of this method also makes it possible for a single handle memberto be provided with several sets of mating limbs whereby each set isdesigned for a specific purpose, such as hunting, target shooting andthe like.

Further, none of the devices of the prior known art teach the use of achannel type construction in the central handle portion of a take-apartbow so as to provide a rigid structure having high strengthcharacteristics while being light in weight due to its hollow recessconstruction. The rigidity of this type of central handle also helps toeliminate the loss of energy when the bow is drawn and subsequentlyreleased inasmuch as the flexure of the bow occurs primarily in the limbmembers. The

U-frame design alsoprovides a hollow bow having versadetachable gripportion can be fitted for the grip of the A I individual archer. Thus,the take-apart bow of the instant invention can be mass produced whilemaintaining customrbuilt characteristics due to the use of anindividualized grip member which matingly engages the standard handleportion. I

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a take apart bow:having limbs with; cast-.in-place resin 7 the recessor socket end of thehandle member, the upper encapsulated butt ends; I i V retaining capplate and the retaining screws.

A further object of thisinvention is to provide a' take I FIGURE 6 is'aperspective view of the flanged lower apart bow having a rigidrcentralhandle member of a retaining cap plate which matingly fits into thelower unitary open channel construction. socket portion of the handlemember so as to bear A still further object of this invention is toprovide 8. against and retain the butt endof a limb mounted thereintake-apart bow whereby flexible retainer cap plates are in nestposition. utilized to retain the butt ends of limbs within the socketFIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of the upper socket or recessportions of the handle member. I I portion of the assembled take-apartbow taken on line Another object of this invention isto provide atake-1' 1f) VIP-VII of FIGURE I illustrating the complete nestapart b owwherein one wall of the limb retainer socket I ing contact between theencapsulated butt end of the portions consist of a retainer cap platewhich yieldably limb and the socket portion and, further, showing the,bears against the butt end of the limb thus retained. I retaining capplate bearing solely upon the butt end of Another object or thisinvention istoprovide a unique the limb. as the retaining screws drawthe retaining cap method wherebya limb having a cast-in-place. butt end'15" plate thereagainst. I Y I is provided by the use of a plastic.resin filler to form an FIGURE 8 is a persective viev v-of thedetachable grip encapsulating layer around'the butt end of the limb. Iportion which matingly engages the U-frame handle Still another objectof this invention is to provide a member of the take-apart bow.take-apart bow. having a U-frame channel type handle FIGURE 9 is aperspective view of the spacer cover portion and matched limbs that areautomatically member which is mounted on the U-frame handle memzeroedin" so as to bend only in one plane. ber directly above and below therear of the detachable Yet another object of thisfinvention is toprovide a a grip member.

I take-apart bow having a solid feel because the walls FIGURE 10 is aschematic front elevation view of the of the butt ends of the limbs have100 percent area con- U-frame handle member mounted on parallel restbars on tact against the walls of the socket portions o-fgthe how. 'agauge reference table with rough butt ends of limbs Another object ofthis invention is'to provide a take- I mounted therein by use. ofcrclarnps so that the limbs apart bow that may be easilycou-nterweighted due to its may be suitably shimmed to ,bend solelywithin the hollow U-frame channel construction. I v I horizontal planeestablished by the center line of the Still another object of thisinvention is toprovide a U-fr'ame-member.

' take-apart bowgwhe-rein storage and carrying space is FIGURE 11 is aschematic to-pview of the U-frame V easily providedby virtue of itshollow U-frarn'e' conhandle member, as shown in FIGURE 10, and showingfiguration; I in phantom line the method of flexing the limbs .50 asAnother object of this invention is to provide a taketo determine theamount of shimming necessary to insure apart bow having a detachablegrip member which may fiexure of the limbs solely within the horizontalplane befcustom designed for the grip of theindividual archer of thecenterline of the handle member. I

using the bow. I FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional'schematic view of the Astill further object of thisinvention is to provide a socket portion ofthe handle "member containing the take-apart bow having a handle-portionwhich is lightshimmed but-t end of the limb held in'place by a C-clampweight. but which is not likely to'warp when exposed to and illustratingthe encapsulating resin filler poured heat or inclement weather. ii 7 40into the socket'around the shimmed butt end of the Yetanother object oftheinvention isto provide atakelimb (including the shim members) so asto build the apart bow having great versatility in use due to its designbutt, end of the limb up to the exact size of the socket vand method of'construction. whereby interchangeability I 1 portion and thus provide alimb which'is automatically and replacement of parts is enhanced whilemaintaining z r inl 1' high quality and high performance. I FIGURE 13i'sia side View of a limb used inthe take,- I Other objects andadvantages found in the construction apart bow and illustrating thereinforcing wedge utilized of my invention will be apparent from aconsideration to build upthe butt end of the limb. i of the followingspecification in connection with the FIGURE 14 is a front view of thelimb'showingthe appended claims and the accompanying drawings narrow'configuration'ofithe butt end of the -limb made In the drawings: I I FFIGURE-l is a side elevation view of the assembled f inphanto m-line thewidth of] the limb which would have I take apart bow illustratingthelimbs having cast-in -place been necessary without the use of thewedge member.

.- I the buttend of a limb in place within one of theirecesses *orsockets 7 illustrate the U-fran' resin 'encaps llat butt ends mounted onthec'entral 1 U-frarne handle member andyshowing the detachable Gama]Description 1 In general, a take-apart archery bow is provided havinggripmounted thereon; I v y 7 I FIGURE 2'1 a ffonf lev ti 'yi w. oftheI'eIntral. two matched limbs'with cast-in-p-lace resin encapsulatedportionof the assembled take-apart bow illustrating the 1 b s n a nt l3K member- 11166611 onfigur tion f the central U fr Channel y handle,tral handle member consists of an elongate channel member and thedetaohablegrip 'as shown FIGURE 1. em f hJ P l S section and'havins p nFIGURE 3 is a rear elevation viewof the U-frarne fiflfmachinedfimirtainhlgyrmssssbrsccketfporficns at handle member of the take-apartbow, as viewed from "116 d thfifwfy T lim n Of't iIim S' are 1165'!- therear or archers side, illustrating the overall unij D Y-P Withinlonsifl'ldifially'disrb'sed socket tary channel type. configurationthereof with limb ri or recess portions ofthe handlermemher and on threeing recesses or sockets provided therein and, showing 1 d s have'100%-percentfiarea Contact with- 'Aswillbe described-hereinafter,therough butt ends a V of the limbs are zeroed in-"during fabricationthereofby *FIGURE 4 "is a cross-sectional view of the handle shimmingthemgwithin the socketportions'of the handle member, taken on line IVIV'of, FIGURE 3 sof as to S a h y en l/ the plane established by theross sectiona l chann el 'cohfigura t'longitudin'al; centerlirie'ofithefhandle After they;have- Xplodedview olt' thet"thefsocket-portions or" the handle around the -rohgh butt aster-n1 hrnso vthat the' hiitgerids are at'ed s itui Thus','; ce the epoxy resin lardens, limbs'ar'e prov ed h vingbutt 'nds that are 50 possible by theuse of thewedge member and illustrating -ib ce'n properly -shlmmed,' anepoxy resinlis poured intov alanine i perfectly mated with the precisionsurfaces of the socket portions of the central handle member.

Inasmuch as the U-channel handle member obviously does not provide anenclosed socket portion for the rete. tion of the limbs therein whilethe bow is in use, a retainer cap plate is provided across thelongitudinal open portion of the limb receiving recess which faces therear or archers side of the bow. In this position, the retainer capplate bears against the rear side of the butt end of the limb, thusretaining the butt end of the limb within the socket portion of thehandle member. Retainer screws are provided which engage the front wallof the U-channel handle member, pass freely through holes provided inthe butt end of the limb, and engage the oppositely positioned retainercap plate so as to draw it into retentive engagement against the rear orexposed side of the butt end of the limb.

In use, the handle member is oriented so that the open portion of thehandle faces to the rear or archers side of the bow. In this manner, thebutt end portions of the limbs bear directly against the retainer capplates while the bow is drawn. The retainer cap plates thus tend to giveor flex when the bow is drawn and therefore provide for a smootherstorage and release of energy in use. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention, the retainer cap plates are tapered so as to enhance thisflexing action. In addition, it should be noted that the retainer capplates bear solely against the resin encapsulated butt end of each limband do not engage the edges of the handle member.

The U-channel construction of the handle member not only provides aninherently stable rigid handle element that does not bend in use, but inaddition provides a hollow structure which not only receives theencapsulated butt ends of the limbs but which may easily becounterweighted at any desired point. In addition, carrying or storagecompartments may be provided in the handle as desired or the handle maybe filled with an epoxy resin filler to provide any overall desiredWeight and additional strength to the bow.

A detachable grip member having a customized outer surface is providedwhich slides over the outside of the U-frame handle portion and isdetachably secured thereto.

In this manner, the grip portion of the handle may be easily changed toprovide individuality to the bow in accordance with the particular griprequirements of the archer.

Further, as will be hereinafter described, a unique method is providedfor fabricating limbs with resin encapsu lated butt ends that arecast-in-place within the actual sockets or recesses in which they areultimately used.

It is thus seen that a highly versatile bow is presented havingtake-apart and interchangeability characteristics while maintainingprecision performance and accuracy.

Specific Description More specifically, the take-apart bow, as shown inFIGURE 1, consists of a central handle member 20, limb members 21, anupper retaining cap plate 22, a lower retaining cap plate 23, and adetachable grip member 24. As shown in FIGURE 3, the central handlemember 20 is an elongate unitary structure of channel type constructionhaving a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, as shown in FIGURE 4.The handle member 24) is configured to provide a longitudinally disposedupper limb retaining recess or socket 25 and a longitudinally disposedlower limb retaining recess or socket 26 at the ends thereof. The centerportion 27 of the handle 20 is offset in the manner well known in thearchery art and, as shown in FIGURE 3, may be filled with a resin filler28 to provide added sta bility. The central handle member 20 may bestamped o'r forged out of any suitable material, such as aluminum orsteel. The preferred embodiment consists of anodized aluminum. It isalso within the scope of this invention to fabricate the U-frarne handlemember 29 from plastic 6 resins having the characteristics necessary toprovide the rigid structure described herein.

The inner surfaces of the socket or recess portions 25 and 26, aremachined to achieve precision surfaces. In the preferred embodiment,these surfaces are perpendicular to each other and are fiat. However,other configurations may be used, such as semi-circular or modified V-shape cross sectional designs. The central or front wall of each socketor recess portion 25 and 26 is provided with retainer screw holes 29.The retainer screw holes 29 are countersunk on the front face of thehandle member 20. The heads of the retainer screws 30 engage thecountersunk portion of the screw holes 29, but the stems of the screws30 extend through the holes 29 into the limb receiving recesses orsockets, 25 and 26.

The limbs 21 consist of wood and fiberglass laminates and are fabricatedin a conventional manner well known in the art, with the exception ofthe use of a wedge member 33 to build up the butt end of the limb. Asshown more specifically in FIGURES 13 and 14, the limbs 21 are unique inthat a reinforcing wedge member 33 is utilized to form the butt end 32of the limb 21. The wedge is fabricated from wood, but plastic orwood-plastic laminate construction can be used. The added thickness madepossible by use of the wedge member 33 enables the butt end 32 to havethe narrow width necessary to matingly engage the socket or recessportions of the handle. Without the added thickness, the limbs wouldsplit in use if a narrow width were maintained in the butt end. As shownin the phantom line of FIGURE 14, the butt end of the limb would have tobe wider in order to avoid such splitting.

Limb retaining screw holes 31 are provided through the butt ends 32 ofthe limbs 21. The limb retaining screw holes 31 are of a sufficientlylarge diameter to allow the retainer screws 30 to pass freelytherethrough so as to engage the threaded holes provided in the retainercap plates 22 and 23.

As will be hereinafter described, the butt end 32 of each limb 21 hasbeen coated or encapsulated with a resin material so as to providezeroed in percent area contact between the wall surfaces of the butt end32 of each limb 21 and the walls of the limb retaining recesses orsockets 25 and 26. The exploded view of FIGURE 5 and the cross sectionalview of FIGURE 7 illustrate the interrelationship between the limbreceiving recess or socket portion of the handle 20, theresin-encapsulated butt end 32 of the limb 21, the retainer cap 22 andthe retainer screws 30. For purposes of clarity, the thickness of theencapsulating resin layer 34 is slightly exaggerated in thecrosssectional view of FIGURE 5. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention, an epoxy resin is utilized to encapsulate the butt end of thelimb, but any other type of plastic material having similar qualitiesmay be utilized.

The retainer cap plates 22 and 23 are configured to extend slightly intotheir respective socket or recess portions, 25 and 26, so as to bearagainst and thus retain the butt end of the limb in a nest relationshipwithin the recesses or sockets. The retainer cap plates 22 and 23 areprovided with flange extensions 35 which extend over but do not engagethe edges of the handle member 20. This relationship is clearly shown inFIGURE 7 wherein the retainer cap plate 22 bears solely upon the buttend 32 and its encapsulating layer 34. A tapered upper surface 36gradually reduces the thickness of the end portion of each retainer capplate so as to permit a limited controlled fiexure of the cap plates 22and 23 when the bow is drawn and the limbs 21 increase their pressureagainst the retainer cap plates. This brings about greater stabilitywhen the bow is drawn and subsequently released. The unique positioningof the retainer cap plates across the rear of the socket or recessportions in effect provides a socket member which has a flexible rearwall against which the butt end of the limb bears when it is beingdrawn. The retainer screws cooperate with the retainer cap plates to bowis strung by use of string 46. Sight provide resilient lock means whichyielclably secure the I limbs within the limb retainer handle. v

A detachable. pistol-type grip element 24 is provided which slides intofrictional mating and enveloping engage-.

ment with the central portion 27 of the handle element same horizontalplane as the center line 42 of the handle 1 member 20.

the. grip member matingly conformto the outer configura- 1 tionof thecentral portion 27. of the handle member 201 so 24 may be 'cast orfabricated from any suitable material,

either a wood laminate or a lightweight plastic. The grip 24 it attachedto the handle member by use of suitable screws. p

An elongate contoured grip spacer member 38 is'afiixed to the front faceof the handle member, as shown in FIG- URES' l and 2. The contoured gripspacer member 33 cooperateswith the grip'member 24- so as to completethe detachable grip portion around the central portion of the take-apartbow. a

It is within the scope of the invention to alter the configmration ofthe detachable gripmember as desired. Experience may show that it wouldbe more economical to fabricate thegrip in two substantially similarhalf portions. Theimportant featureis to'provide a readilydetachablegrip element which may be designed to fit the hand of any given archerand which is easily mountable upon the'standard handle portion.

Spacer cover members 39, shown in FIGURE 9, are' provided to engage andextend into the handle member as shown in FIGURES l and 2. These'covermembers 39 are positioned between the retainer cap plates and thedetachable grip 24 and serve to cover the open portions of the handlemember 20 and are secured thereto by use of screws which engage the sidewalls of the handle and pass through a hole provided in the extension ofthe spacer member. Thus,.the. spacercover members provide a stabilizingas well'as decorativejeifect in that the Walls of the handle areanchored thereagainst.

It .is thus .seen that a highly versatile take-apart bow is provided.The use of the channeled or recessed construction provides a handleportion which is rigid yet lightweight. any unused portion of the hollowhandle may be filled by plastic or other fillermaterial to'balance thebow as desired and to give the bow any desired total overall weight.These hollow portions of the bow may be provided with suitable covers soas to'p'rovide storage space for auxiliary archery and huntingequipment, such' as a compass, extra strings, glue, matches, arrowknocks and the like. An arrow rest shelf 'or shoulder 37 is pro videdintegral with thedetchable grip portion 24 and the devices'may be easilyattached to the'handle as desired.

In the preferred embodiment, the limb retainer handle member 20- isfabricatedby stamping so as to provide recess or socketportions 25 and26. However, the. handle member 20 may be forgedycastor molded,depending on 1 the materialbeing utilized. 7 The inner walls oftherecess or'socket portions are then precision machined to provide"accurate limb contact surfaces;

As shownin FIGURES 10 and ll, the handle member I 20 is thenhorizontally positioned on a reference surface (gauge table) 40. by useof parallel rest blocks 41 so that thecenter line 42 of the handlemember20' is parallel to the hofrizontal reference surface of the gauge table40.

.70 1.;In atake-apart bow, the;cornbination comprismgz a After therecesses or sockets have been coated with suitableresin release agents,the rough butt end 32 of alimb a 21 .is then clamped .into its useposition :in' each recess or j 7 in on the handle.

While thehandle member 20 isheld in a fixed horizontal position on theblocks 41, each limb 21 is flexed through an are from its free positionto its full drawn position. I This flexing action is shown in phantomline in FIG- URE 11. A height gauge 44 is utilized to determine whetheror-not the tip of the limb remains in the horizontal plane of the handlecenter, line 42 throughout the entire course of the flexure of the limb21. If, during the test flexing, the tip of the limb varies fromthehorizontal plane established by the center line 42, the butt end ofthe limb 21 is shimmed to insure that the limb 21 will bend only in theplane-of the center line 42. This corrective shimming'auto'maticallyprovides a limb which is zeroed After the limbs 21 have been .thusaligned in their use position on the handle 20, the recesses or sockets25 and 26 are filled with an epoxy resin which flows around the butt end32 of the limb 21 so as to form the encapsulating layer 34. As shownvschematically in FIGURE 12, the encapsulating resin layer'34 solidifiesaround the shim members 45, thus making them an integral part of thebutt end 32. Due to the effect of the aforementioned release agent, eachlimb is then easily removed from its respective socket.

or recess with. percent area contact thereby imparting a solid feel tothis invention which is not usually found lfl'the take-apart devicesfound in the prior art. The retainer cap plate engaging surface of'theencapsulated butt end 32 is then milled down to provide an even surfacefor the retainer cap plates, 22 or .23, to bear against in the mannershown in FIGURE 7. The thickness of the finished butt end is such thatthe retainer cap plate engages the butt end but does not bear againstthe handle member.

Thus, in its assembled use position, the'retainer cap plate bearsagainst the butt end of: the limb and flexes with the limb when the bowis drawn. f r

' The take-apart bow is assembled by mouhting the butt ends of thefmatched limbs into their respective recesses; The retainer cap platesare drawn thereagainst by use-of the retainer screwsin the mannerpreviously described.

a The assembly of the take-apart bow is completed by mounting of thedetchable grip thereon. After the spacer members 39 and'contour strip 38have been attached, the

bow is ready for stringing and. subsequent use.

Atake-apartbow is provided having great versatility in use due to theinterchangeability vof the various components of the bow. For instance,several sets of matched limbs may. be provided for use on a single.handle. Thus,1 an archer could utilize the same handle but changethelimbs as required for hunting, target shootmg and the like; a I

The use oftheflexible retainer cap plates, the cast-inplace matchedflimbs, and the detachable, grip member. providesa take-apart bow whichhas. performance-char acteristics usually found only in one-piece custombuilt bows.

Various other modifications of the invention may be madewithoutdeparting from theprinciple thereof. Each .of the modifications is to beconsideredias included in the hereinafter appended claims unlesstheseclaims'by their language expressly provide otherwise.

Having thus'setforth the mature .of rthe invention, I claim thefollowing:

limb retainerhandle member defining apair of oppositely positioned limbreceiving rearwardly open channel openings,said oppnin'gs so .-defin,being' elongate in .said retainer handle; limbs having cast-in placeresin -encapsu-.

lated butt ends which are selectively insertable and removable from saidopenings and nestable therein; and elongate retainer cap plate elementsflexibly provided in said openings, said retainer cap plate elementsbearing against the exposed surface of said resin encapsulated butt endsin said nest position; and means provided through said butt ends tolockably engage said retainer cap plate elements to said handle member,said retainer cap plate elements flexibly bearing solely against saidresin encapsulated butt ends.

2. In a take-apart bow wherein a limb retainer central handle memberutilizes flexible retainer cap elements to lockably and flexibly retainthe butt ends of limbs in elongate limb receiving rearwardly openchannel openings provided therein, the combination comprising: limbmembers consisting of molded laminated layer elements and beingconfigured for use in a take-apart bow having a central handle member;and a resin encapsulated butt end References Qited by the ExaminerUNITED STATES PATENTS 705,689 7/02 Magee 30626 2,001,470 5/35 Nyvall124-24 2,426,233 8/47 Pearson 124-423 2,642,661 6/53 Fredrickson 124/232,684,564 7/54 Sell 18-59 2,813,818 11/57 Pearson.

2,814,835 12/57 Faulkner Iii-59 2,900,973 8/59 Diehr 124-24 2,966,9031/61 Vencko 12423 LQUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. LOVE, Examiner

2. IN A TAKE-APART BOW WHEREIN A LIMB RETAINER CENTRAL HANDLE MEMBERUTILIZES FLEXIBLE RETAINER CAP ELEMENTS TO LOCKABLY AND FLEXIBLY RETAINTHE BUTT ENDS OF LIMBS IN ELONGATE LIMB RECEIVING REWARDLY OPEN CHANNELOPENINGS PROVIDED THEREIN, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: LIMB MEMBERSCONSISTING OF MOLDED LAMINATED LAYER ELEMENTS AND BEING CONFIGURED FORUSE IN A TAKE-APART BOW HAVING A CENTRAL HANDLE MEMBER; AND A RESINENCAPSULATED BUTT END PORTION PROVIDED ON EACH OF SAID LIMB MEMBERS,SAID BUTT